staff

2008-03-11T17:54:57+01:00

we have a head of boarding - Dianne. she is good at her job but unhappy and is always looking for a better job somewhere else. she teaches and would like a smaller timetable, but the head wont decrease it for her.
the matrons are Liz, Valerie, Janice, and Dianne.
Liz (6th form house) is leaving at the end of this week so doesnt really care about much anymore - no replacement yet.
Valerie (6th form house) has been here for donkeys years, she is very good at her job but stuck in her ways and not open to new ideas
Janice (GCSE house) started in September. she used to work in a social services house and treats the girls like delinquents. she isnt particularly good at her job, but thinks she is. the girls dont like her, but she thinks they do.
Dianne (junior house) is too busy teaching and being in charge of boarding issues like travel to cope with the little ones.

the assistants are Linda, Vicky, Caroline, Jen, Fran and me. linda and Jen are leaving at the end of term - no replacements yet.
Vicky is totally useless, universally disliked, and just generally shit at her job.
Caroline has been here for years, is brilliant at her job (if slightly weird) and very popular amongst staff and girls.
Fran is doing her 3rd stint here in 10 years. sh never stays for long, but keeps coming back. she is good at her job but quite a sickly sort of person.
i like to think i am good at my job and fairly popular with the girls. i get on with all staff (except Linda, Vicky and Janice) and help out as much as i can in other parts of the school - i get told a lot that i am taken advantage of, but i can never say no when people ask me for a favour.
so thats us - a bunch of weirdos. some middle-aged divorcees, some middle-aged lesbians, one happily married (husband works away) and one youngster (thats me - im 23, and staying till July which will be 2 years)

Next Time: some of the weird stuff the staff do at work and why we have such a high turnover of staff

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intro

2008-03-11T14:28:27+01:00

so here it is, what really happens behind the doors of a boarding school. if you send your child away, wouldnt you like to know about their staff and what really happens?
i work as an assistant matron in a girls boarding school. we have 150 boarders, and about 100 of those are overseas. the rest are forces and shell.
there are 10 members of staff running 4 houses, and its not enough. we are always stretched to breaking point and as soon as someone goes off ill we are struggling. i work 7am till 11pm, sleep in the boarding house 5 nights a week (including weekends) and get £2.61 per hour. the girls pay approx £7000 per term, and the wages for staff are far below minimum wage, and the hours are shockingly high.
funnily enough, there is a very high turnover of staff, and when you look at the people who work here, its not surprising why.

Next Time: staff introductions

Comments

real boarding school life

staff

intro